You’ve noticed mother-of-pearl accents on everything from watch faces to buttons. If you’re like me, though, you probably haven’t given such details much thought beyond admiring their luster. So let’s pause for a second: what exactly is mother-of-pearl? In an effort to avoid a fashion faux pas, I did some digging and found out.

For all intents and purposes, a seashell is actually the “mother” of a pearl. Mother-of-pearl – also known as “nacre” – is the shiny interior of a shell. The outer layer of pearls and inner layer of shells are both made up of nacre, giving them the same wondrous appeal and disparity of color. Natural iridescent shades of ivory, gold, grey, and black make the perfect accents for all those luxe little extras.